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Accused
"Accused" is the twenty-sixth chapter of The Last Son, Book Two: Reckonings. Kree Supreme Public Accuser Ronan learns of the last Kryptonian Superman is living on Earth and sets out to place him on trial for "crimes" against the Kree Empire by abducting the X-Men and accusing them for harboring the Man of Steel. Fortunately, Superman is aided by the Green Lantern John Stewart in rescuing his friends. Plot The Institute students have finish their high school finals and celebrate for the start of summer vacation (although Logan points out that their break doesn't mean an end to their Danger Room session. In the midst of their revelry, both students and staffs are unaware that they are being watch by a Kree Sentry, which then flies off into space. The Sentry reaches the ship of Ronan and transmit the data that confirms the presence of the Fortress of Solitude and Superman on Earth. Ronan is not too please to realize that Superman is of the House of El (as recognize from his "S" symbol). At the advice of one of his officers, Ronan knows that he has a disadvantage with Superman's awesome powers when he is near a yellow sun and that any heavy on attack Earth would be easily repelled by the Fortress's technology given to the Kree's previous presence on Earth five-hundred years ago. Instead, Ronan plots to lure Superman away from the Sol System thus making him powerless by capturing the X-Men from the Institute, and then launching a raid on the Fortress. Meanwhile at the Kent Farm, Clark is visiting Ma Kent and doing some chores. After finishing his chores, Superman is given the bad news from Ma Kent that she is diagnosed with Van Braun's Syndrome; a genetic disease that causes cellular degradation and is the reason she can't bear any children. Gene therapy doesn't even help to ease it as the exact genes that cause it is unidentifiable. Clark is in distress and even suggest of finding a cure from the Fortress's database, but Ma Kent ease Clark that even though she may die someday, she is at least happy and proud to know her adopted son grown up to be. Somewhere in space, Green Lantern John Stewart is just finishing up his patrol until he is contact by Guardian Krallen. Krallen informs Green Lantern that the Head Councillor Winema Wazzo of the Galactic Confederacy had informed the Guardians about Ronan's plot that was intercepted in a broadcast directed to the Kree Supreme Intelligence, and assign Green Lantern to find Superman before the Kree do. Back on Earth, as Clark is still trouble by his mother's illness. He then receives a sensor from the Fortress that had detected something and forcing him to fly off as Superman. Superman flies to the object, which is a Kree Sentry and it starts attacking him. Although Superman easily destroys the Sentry, he is concern that the Kree are present on Earth. Just then his belt-computer alerts him that two Kree ships are heading for the Institute. Unfortunately, Superman arrives too late to find only the staff and the X-Men to have been abducted by the Kree. Only the New Mutants are left behind; in which Superman orders them along with Krypto to stay at the Institute from risking them in danger as it is him that the Kree wanted. Superman then travels to the Fortress to use the Argo, but to find Kree soldiers attempting to break into the building. Superman engages the soldiers and is then suddenly aided by Green Lantern, and together they subdue the Kree. Both Superman and Green Lantern acquaint themselves and learns from each other about the current situation. Green Lantern agrees to come along in helping Superman rescuing his friends and knows Ronan will be holding them in the Kren-Ziar System thanks to a intercepted transmission by the Guardians. The two board on the Argo and flies off into space. The X-Men wakes up following their abduction and finding themselves with collars attached to their necks that cancels out their X-Gene powers - such as Cyclops' eye-beams. They are then confronted Ronan and reveal to them that they are in a Colosseum-ship, where they are put on display in front of a large audience, and states to them that they are found guilty for crimes against the Kree Empire for sheltering Superman. Ronan emphasize the evidences by using his people's technology to scan and display the X-Men's memories of their relationship with Superman. Shadowcat voices her concerns as to why the Kree have against Superman. Ronan explains his version of history that the Kree Empire wanted help from the Kryptonians eons ago against the Skrulls, but claims that the Kryptonians abandoned them in which the Kree tried to find them and again beg for their help but only to be repeatedly repel by Battlestation Sentrius. Wolverine, however, doesn't buy into Ronan's story and attempts to attack the accuser with his adamantium claws (which are not affected his Suppression Collar), but only to crash into a force-field surrounding Ronan, who then blast Wolverine away with his Universal Weapon. The Argo reaches the Kren-Ziar System and slipping through Kree Sentries and a field of spatial mines. Meanwhile, Ronan's show trials continues unabated without any credible defense for the X-Men. However, they are rather suspicious of Ronan keeping up his accusations despite that they are already "guilty." Power Girl suddenly say to Ronan, and the audience, that she knows that they are using her team as bait for Superman and the Kree's history with Krypton is inaccurate as she reveals that the Kryptonians were trying to settle peace between the Kree and Skrulls, much to the audience's surprise. Ronan is unfazed by Power Girl's own accusations and he do expects that Superman would come for the X-Men, and currently matters that they are guilty as he ready to judge their sentence. Fortunately, Superman and Green Lantern timely interrupts the trial. Superman states directly to Ronan that the trial is invalid for refusing to inform the X-Men of their legal rights and that this trial is only him that matters; in which Superman admits that he is "guilty" for being a Kryptonian, a member of the House of El, and related to Sentrius's construction, but demands for a right of Appeal by Combat - which a non-Kree citizen accused of a crime, upon admission of his guilt, is granted the right to an Appeal, with the motion being seconded by an impartial third party (in which Green Lantern representing the Green Lantern Corps as a neutral party second the motion). Begrudgingly, Ronan accepts the Appeal to fight in single combat against Superman. Green Lantern and the X-Men are deeply concern of Superman that he is at a disadvantage for being away from yellow sunlight, which Superman assures them that he have some leftover power and that winning the combat would drop the "charges" on his team. Superman and Ronan begin their battle. During their fight, Ronan admits to Superman that he did left out some important part to the Kree's history as he reveals that his family had led many battles and losing against Sentrius in which he consider as a utmost dishonor to him and his family, and is the very reason he holds a grudge against Superman. The battle almost turns to Ronan's favor, but Superman quickly reads Ronan's movement and punches him in the guts and takes the advantage in putting his swords near Ronan's neck. But Ronan refuses to yield and summons lion-like creatures to attack Superman. This forces Superman to use the last expense of his powers in subduing the creatures and left him at Ronan's mercy; however, in a surprising move, Superman catches Ronan's Universal Weapon and pulls his user before throwing across the arena. As Superman triumphs over Ronan, he already acknowledge that Ronan may have intended to lure him away from a yellow sun, however, he decide to bring one with him. At this, Superman produces a Solara Cell that he had brought along all this time in which it recharges his powers. Superman quickly grabs the Universal Weapon and controlling its buttons to release the X-Men's Suppression Collars, allowing them to fighting alongside Superman against Ronan's lion-creatures. Ronan quickly recovers and, in act of anger, fires his recovered Universal Weapon at Superman and the others, but only to struck a part of the arena and causing the area to collapse, which endangers the Kree audience. Though many of the audience flee, only a Kree girl is caught in the collapsing section. Superman quickly saves her. Angered at what Ronan indirect cause from his fit, Superman finally subdues the accuser and telling him that he came to rescue his friends and warning that the next time he will see him, it won't be pleasant. Ronan still refuse to see defeat, but is silent by the Supreme Intelligence. The Intelligence declares that the Appeal of Combat falls in favor of Superman, and he and the X-Men are free, and the Kree Empire's quarrel with Krypton is ended since the planet was destroyed, and is personally humble by Superman's actions of sparing Ronan and rescuing a Kree citizen. Furthermore, the Intelligence is disappointed by Ronan's own unbecoming behavior unfit as Accuser that requires disciplinary action; in which for now orders Ronan to return to his ship. The Intelligence also issues to the Green Lantern in sending apologies to the Guardians and clearly stating to X-Men that the "trial" should never have taken place; Superman is cleared of any charges the Kree have held against his people, though the Intelligence unsure in the future that Superman would pose a threat to the Kree. But before Superman could leave, he questions the Intelligence on the necessity of continuing the Kree-Skrull War that had cost so many lives and that both sides haven't even learn why they started the conflict, and begging to call for an end. Although the Intelligence is touched by Superman's words, he reasons that ending the war would be impossible as it would be unlikely that the Skrulls would do the same given their duplicity and shape-shifting nature. As Superman, Green Lantern, and the X-Men left on the Argo, Ronan remain unwillingly to see them leave. He orders his personal fleet to go after them. The Argo soon detects Ronan's fleet. Superman flies the Argo with Green Lantern in tow in breaking the fleet's force-field after which Superman fires a Viral Torpedo, which sends a virus into Ronan's ships and causing them to lose mobility and function. Ronan roars in rage and swears revenge on Superman as the Argo successively escape. The Argo arrive in Earth's system and is relay to Councillor Wazzo's ship. Upon meeting Wazzo for the first time, the students are offer to enjoy the trip from the ship's observatory. Wazzo also informs Green Lantern that Krallen had given him a new assignment to patrol the Sol System to ensure the Kree do not ever return; in which Green Lantern is glad to hear and the chance to return to Earth. Wazzo shares personal talks with Professor Xavier, Storm and Logan that her people are to be blame for first drawing Krypton's affairs with the Kree due to a distress beacon from a Bgztlian convoy that drawn the Kryptonians in the middle of a battle between the Kree and Skrulls. Regardless, Storm states that the Kryptonians had done the right thing that Superman would have done as well. When mentioning Earth, Wazzo also tells that she once travel through the Sol System to surveying the system for inclusion in the Neutral Planets Treaty; but her ship suffered a core malfunction that forced her and most of her crew manage to abandon ship, but only to lost her daughter, Tinya. The X-Men enjoy the observatory, except for Superman who remains too quiet. The X-Men notice this to which Superman explains that it is his fault for his own being that attracted the Kree into endangering his teammates and family's lives. But the X-Men ensure Superman that it was Ronan's own fault that brought him into this and are thankful that Superman saved them. After the X-Men are return to the Institute, Alison approach Superman and learns from him about Ma Kent's condition; something which is not so different from the Pa Kent's that Superman believed that he wasn't fast enough to save him to take him to a hospital from a heart attack while he saved a family from a car wreck. Alison comforts Superman that dying is a part of life and a part of what it means to be human. Superman then travel back to Smallville and visit Pa Kent's grave. Quotes Green Lantern: Jesus, you step off of Earth for a couple of years, the whole planet goes nuts. ---- Professor Xavier: You say you are an Accuser...are you part of the...Kree Empire's legal system? Ronan: Human, I am the Kree legal system. ---- Ronan: The Supreme Public Accuser is the embodiment of the Kree state. You may not touch me. (after blasting Wolverine away) It is sacrilege. ---- Superman: Interesting little yarn you told about our peoples' history, but I think you left out a few of the details. Ronan: You're right, filth; I did leave something out. I left out the fact that it was my family that always led the charge against that monstrosity! Your people, your very family destroyed my honor...and today, on this glorious day...we will at long last be avenged!! ---- Avalanche: Because some jerk-off with a hate on your people decided to use us to get to you? How's that your fault?? Continuity *First appearances of Green Lantern John Stewart, the Supreme Intelligence, and Winema Wazzo. *Tinya Wazzo's fate is later revealed in "Matters of State" in The Last Son, Book Three: Changes. Background information *This story is partially inspired by the Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes episode "Trial by Fire". *The flashback to Clark Kent's first act of heroism is based from the scene in the episode of Superman: The Animated Series, "The Last Son of Krypton". Category:Last Son, Book Two chapters